hi all i am very new here my first post on this site. i have desperate need of info about castration. my 'girl' is determinded to get this done and i need more information about it. has anyone on this site gone thru this procedure? and what did it do to/for you?

Plugging the wiki...
https://www.susans.org/wiki/Orchiectomy
https://www.susans.org/wiki/Castration
Those two links might be a good place to start for general information. The wiki staff here is superb and I'm certain that other people will be able to chime in.

There are two kinds.  Chemical castration is where a large dose of hormones, or long term use of hormones, renders the testicles inactive.  Surgical castration is known is orchiectomy, and if you search that term you will find out more.  Also search on Youtube for videos made by people who have had the surgery.

In some states a signed letter by the performing surgeon is good for changing ones "gender marker," M changes to F on the drivers license.

Other vital records and passport rules vary.

thanks all so far, this is very very important to me. i need to get in touch with someone that has gone thru the procedure to find out if it was what they expected, did the results do waht they wanted. i am a male that is has dicovered transgender as my sexual an emotinal preference and has 'come out' so to speak to his family. i am in my late fifties and hate the fact i have wasted so many years. my 'friend' is very seerious about castration and i need to know so much more about this. if it is what she wants then thats cool as long as she has had all the facts. i am not a fan of body changes but adding is one thing, removing is another and is totally final. i want to help her by gathering as much info as possible.

Am I understanding correctly that you prefer trans girls for your sexual preference?  And if your friend (I assume this is not about you) wants to have an orchiectomy,  I wonder why she is not doing an absolute ton of research on it herself.  Seems like she would be really curious.  Either way, i wish you the best of luck, and welcome to Susan's.

Kristi

About a year prior to my SRS, I had an orchiectomy because at that time I wasn't sure that I was wanted or needed SRS.

I posted about it in my blog "Sandy's Transition".  It was everything I expected.  I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have. 

Also welcome to Susan's!  Be sure to check out the site rules.

-Sandy

Quote from: Sandy on April 26, 2009, 08:54:44 PM
About a year prior to my SRS, I had an orchiectomy because at that time I wasn't sure that I was wanted or needed SRS.

I posted about it in my blog "Sandy's Transition".  It was everything I expected.  I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have. 

Also welcome to Susan's!  Be sure to check out the site rules.

-Sandy

thank you Sandy,
the person that wants this is just 23 and i am afraid that she is making a mistake. i only just know her and we have not had chance to talk about this but in the time i have known her i have come to realise that life has been very cruel to her in social and family ways and i hope she is not doing this just to defy everyone. i know shw has researched a lot and seems to know what she is talking about and has all the proper terms etc. but she also can be somewhat flighty and has done a ton of drugs. i care a great deal about her. i am old enough to be her father and those instincts are licking in. i dont want her to make a mistake she cannot correct just out of spite or some other nonsense reason. so for me to help her i have to understand the whole process. she has mentioned that in doing this it would prevent the continued masculinity of her body and that she would need some hormone to prevent osteoporosis etc. i am afraid that being as young as she is that perhaps she has never known someone that loves her for who she is right now and maybe if she did then perhaps she would not want to have this procedure. i know this is very long but any insigts would help me and then help her.  thank you so much chris.

Chris:

First off getting an orchiectomy is not something you just sign up for.  Surgeons are forbidden from removing healthy tissue by ethics and law.  The only way they will do that is if the operation has benefit to the individual.

This usually requires a letter from a therapist or attending physician that indicates that the person is suffering from GID and that the procedure will have a positive effect on the individual.  If, as you said, that your friend does or has done "a ton of drugs" that diagnosis may be difficult to get.

Everyone recognizes that this is an irreversible decision and it will not be approved lightly.

Yes, your friend will require HRT for the rest of her life as a result.  About ten percent of the necessary testosterone is produced by the adrenal gland.  Supplements will be required.  With the reduction of testosterone she will stat to become more androgynous and less masculine.  But this will only affect soft tissue.  Cartilage and bone will remain as they are.  So if she is post pubescent, as you mentioned, her bone structure of her face and body will not change.  Though quite a bit of feminization can be attained.

If she is doing this for the wrong reasons, such as spite or self-mutilation, it shouldn't be done and more than likely she will have to look for a reputable surgeon who would perform the procedure in the first place and they will need a therapists recommendation and even then they won't do it if they feel that there is any hint that your friend is wanting this for the wrong reasons.

I hope this helps.  Please check out the wiki here for specific details about the procedure and feel free to ask whatever questions you may have.

Good luck!

-Sandy

thanks Sandy,
we are in toronto and i am sure the rules are different here. she seems to have found out all the info she needs with regards to rules to do this and i am sure she will go ahead. it seems now that it has become a personal challenge since it is posted on facebook and i am sure there are those replying to her that are not doing so in her best interest. it's the father in me that now has surfaced and i will find all the info i can and then try to get herto sit down and talk. if as i suspect somethng happened to her at a young age that caused her to dislike her body (i know its a stretch but i was thinking she had been abused as an infant) then she may not open up about it. this is so difficult to deal with. if it is her disphoria and she needs this then i support her 100%. if it is a whim that has become a causse then i have to try to help that way.  anyway thanks for all your help.

Quote from: devinewillow on April 27, 2009, 04:51:12 PM
thanks Sandy,
we are in toronto and i am sure the rules are different here. she seems to have found out all the info she needs with regards to rules to do this and i am sure she will go ahead. it seems now that it has become a personal challenge since it is posted on facebook and i am sure there are those replying to her that are not doing so in her best interest. it's the father in me that now has surfaced and i will find all the info i can and then try to get herto sit down and talk. if as i suspect somethng happened to her at a young age that caused her to dislike her body (i know its a stretch but i was thinking she had been abused as an infant) then she may not open up about it. this is so difficult to deal with. if it is her disphoria and she needs this then i support her 100%. if it is a whim that has become a causse then i have to try to help that way.  anyway thanks for all your help.

The rules are slightly different in Canada, true.  But the ethical requirement to "Do no harm" is the same.

Yes, I'm sure that if she searched hard enough, she could find a surgeon who would perform the procedure.  But by and large it will be difficult to do on a whim.

First, she should go to therapy.  That will answer the question to everyone satisfaction as to whether or not she is pursuing this as an enactment or response to some deep seated abuse or she is truly in need of castration to help address her GID.

I am glad that your fatherly manner is wanting to keep her best interests in the forefront.

If you can, could you ask her to discuss her issues here?  Though we are certainly not trained therapists, we do share a common background and perhaps she could find true solace and understanding here.

I wish you and her all the best.  May she find the answers she is looking for.

-Sandy

phew, i am a little messed up right now, someone told her i was investigating this and now i have been dumped and told i am hated. wow this is tough.

Chris:

I'm so sorry to hear that.  If this was her excuse to end the relationship, it sounds like she may need to come to grips with more issues than just GID.

Also, having an orchi right now could prove more harmful than helpful if she is this extreme.

But you must consider yourself and your feelings.  Do not let her hurt you more.  Let her pursue her own destiny.

Please be well and accept hugs from all of us!

**HUGS!!!**

-Sandy